Club Shay Shay – The Game, Part 1 (December 10, 2025)

Episode Overview

In this candid and emotionally charged episode, NFL legend Shannon Sharpe interviews West Coast rap icon The Game. They dive deep into The Game’s turbulent upbringing, career breakthroughs, notorious industry feuds, and personal philosophy—with raw honesty, humor, and vulnerability. The conversation peels back the layers on trauma, family, survival, fatherhood, music industry battles, and the complex legacy of gang culture in Los Angeles.

Main Themes

• Surviving Trauma: The Game’s challenging childhood, cycles of violence, and family trauma.
• Rise to Fame: How street life, resilience, and pivotal industry connections led to his success.
• Gang Culture & Community: The allure, dangers, and consequences of gang life—past and present.
• Beef in Hip-Hop: Inside stories on G-Unit, 50 Cent, Kanye, and the role of loyalty.
• Fatherhood & Personal Growth: Breaking the cycle and building a new legacy.
• Reflections on Legacy: Loss, survival, giving back, and finding meaning.
• Notable Interventions: Surprise anecdotes involving Michael Jackson, Kanye West, and Dr. Dre.

Detailed Breakdown & Key Moments

The Game on His Life Philosophy and Priorities

• [07:24] On his most important lesson at 46:
  • “Pour into people that pour into you. That is the most important thing.” — The Game
  • He emphasizes the need to cherish and return the love of those truly present in your life.

Early Childhood Trauma & Family Dynamics

Turmoil at Home

• [08:09 – 16:00] The Game recounts harrowing family stories:
  • Foster care due to his father’s actions ([10:04])
  • Multiple siblings, poverty, and “walls” built from abandonment
  • Extreme parental violence: “My mom shooting at my dad with a shotgun and blowing half the door off.” ([15:51])
  • Family torn apart by abuse and addiction: “Everything changed after that night.” ([13:56])

Navigating the Street and Gang Life

• [12:24] The struggle of choosing between Crip and Blood in a divided environment:
  • “It got to a point where I had to kind of drift out the hood or meet whatever consequences…”
  • His love for Scottie Pippen and starter jackets leads to neighborhood conflicts.

Seeking Belonging

• [18:24 – 22:30] Gangs replace family structure for many LA youth:
  • “You end up going…[doing crimes]…you become a gang within committing these acts.”
  • Community and heredity in gang culture—a cycle “passed from the late 70s all the way till now.”

Redemption, Death, & Healing

Losing Family to Violence

• [29:29 – 30:30] Brother’s murder and its aftermath:
  • “After that, I just didn’t care if I lived or died… I think that did [put me in the streets].”

Surviving Near-Death

• [36:40 – 40:20] The Game on being shot five times:
  • “I was in a coma for almost a month… My mom didn’t come see me either.”
  • Survives by calling 911 himself: “I called 911 myself, and next thing, I woke up, my aunt was right there.” ([39:16])
  • After, he considers changing his life but returns to selling drugs—shows the pull and challenge of transformation.

The Break into Music

Grassroots Hustle to Aftermath Records

• [44:34 – 48:10] Freestyles at a hip-hop summit, fakes Jay-Z verses, wins over producers, and meets Dr. Dre:
  • “I spit a Jay-Z verse in this freestyle that no one didn’t know… They flew me to the Bay.”
  • Eventually, through luck and self-promotion, Dr. Dre takes notice: “Dre was like, ‘You Game? Welcome to Aftermath.’” ([48:10])

First Tastes of Success

• [50:08] Realities of rapper money:
  • After signing, “I was probably left with about 4 or 500,000. I did some, you know, real young black shit…I went to Jacob, bought me a watch… Then before you knew it, man, I was like, I didn’t have nothing.”* ([50:08])

The G-Unit Era and Feuds

How G-Unit Came Together

• [58:52 – 63:56]
  • The Game is added to G-Unit as a strategic move: “Jimmy Iovine…would call us the Black Beatles all the time.” ([59:12])
  • On the chemistry with 50 Cent: “You put two people together and they’re just talented, man…You’re gonna get greatness.” —The Game ([60:26])

Why the G-Unit Breakup?

• [61:13 – 63:24] Conflict over industry beef and loyalty:
  • Refused to beef with Jadakiss, Fat Joe, Nas: “[They] were rapping before me. I used them as guides.”
• [63:29] Business realities:
  • “50 was making more than everybody.”
  • “I always felt like I was a solo artist.”

Shootouts and Industry Violence

• [64:37] “We got into a shootout with his armed security in New York.”

On Bipolarity in Life and Industry

• “I got this early entry bipolar shit going… I think that damn near everybody’s bipolar, depending on [the day].” ([65:30])

Candid Reflections on Kanye, Kim, and Michael Jackson

Relationships, Regrets, and Public Apologies

• Kanye & Kim
  • Talks openly about past missteps, including comments about Kim Kardashian.
  • “No, Kim, I’m apologetic for the way that I displayed, you know, or discussed our interrelations with the public.” ([78:40])
  • On Kanye’s generosity: “I asked him 20 times. I was like, you sure? He was like, yeah, man, I owe you a lot more than these cars, but it's just…I don't need them.” ([79:07])

Michael Jackson’s Attempt at Peacemaking

• [70:06 – 72:43] Surreal moment when MJ calls to end Game/50 beef:
  • “He said, ‘How We Do’…It’s magical. Magical…We should fix the beef on my album.”
  • The Game, unimpressed, hangs up: “I just was like, I hated 50 so much at that time… So I end up hanging up.”*
  • Shannon Sharpe: “You hung up on Mike.” The Game: “I did.”

Fatherhood, Giving Back, and Perspective

Lessons from His Father and Legacy

• “Indirectly, his fatherhood was what it was, but it ultimately made me a better person.” ([28:41])
• On raising his own kids with transparency, boundaries, and love.

Reflections on Loss & Community

• On Nipsey Hussle’s murder:
  • “…he was gonna be probably a bigger structural figure for adolescent youth in Los Angeles than I’ll probably ever be. Because my thing was to get out and never go back.” ([87:07])
• Acknowledges the dangers of returning to the old neighborhood after “making it”—jealousy, violence, and tragedy.

Materialism, Success, and Self-Worth

• [80:54] "Why wouldn't you want to be a billionaire?"
  • The Game: “That’s too much money, man. Anyone above $100 million is just way too much. No one needs that much money.”
• On breaking cycles:
  • Despite having millions, kept living in the hood until violence threatened his own son. Realizes the importance of safety and moving forward.

Notable Quotes & Moments

| Timestamp | Quote | Speaker | |-----------|------------------------|---------| | 07:24 | “Pour into people that pour into you.” | The Game | | 13:56 | “Family was ripped apart forever…everything changed after that night.” | The Game | | 29:34 | “My brother…ended up getting killed. Terrible blow to my family… I think that did [push me to the streets].” | The Game | | 36:40 | “You were shot five times, spent three days in a coma, I guess with a robbery attempt, correct?” | Shannon Sharpe | | 39:16 | “I called 911 myself, and next thing, I woke up, my aunt was right there…” | The Game | | 44:34 | “I spit a Jay-Z verse in this freestyle that no one didn’t know…They flew me to the Bay.” | The Game | | 59:12 | “Jimmy Iovine…would call us the Black Beatles all the time.” | The Game | | 65:30 | “I got this early entry bipolar shit going…that damn near everybody’s bipolar…” | The Game | | 70:13 | “Mike called me…and he was like, ‘That How We Do…it’s magical. Magical. It’s magical.’” | The Game | | 78:40 | “No, Kim, I’m apologetic for the way that I displayed, you know, or discussed our interrelations with the public.” | The Game | | 87:07 | “My thing was to get out and never go back.” | The Game |

Timestamps for Major Segments

• [07:24] – Biggest life lesson at 46: “Pour into people that pour into you.”
• [08:09 – 18:24] – Childhood trauma, foster care, and gangs as surrogate family
• [29:29 – 30:30] – Death of brother and deepening trauma
• [36:40 – 40:20] – Story of being shot five times and surviving
• [44:34 – 50:08] – Breaking into music industry, first meeting with Dr. Dre
• [58:52 – 64:19] – G-Unit story, group dynamics, and feuds
• [70:06 – 72:43] – Michael Jackson’s call to end the 50 Cent feud
• [78:40] – Public apology to Kim Kardashian
• [86:09 – 88:01] – Reflection on Nipsey Hussle loss and the challenges of going home

Conclusion

The conversation is a powerful blend of survival memoir, cautionary tale, and celebration of personal growth. The Game owns his contradictions—regret and bravado, pain and pride—offering rare transparency rarely seen in celebrity interviews. Whether it’s confronting family trauma, industry rivalries, or his own public missteps, The Game’s honesty, paired with Sharpe’s empathetic but probing questions, creates a must-listen episode for anyone interested in hip-hop, resilience, and the real price of success.

End of Part 1. For the continuation of this interview, follow part two on your podcast platform.